The present invention relates to improvements in the art of minimizing the penetrating, foul odor that is so frequently incident to the bodily function of defecation.
There have been many prior art proposals to deal with bathroom malodor. For the most part these proposals have involved, in one fashion or another, the provision of venting means for exhausting fouled air from the lavatory in which a toilet is situated. My prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,971 departs from these conventional approaches through the use of a water spray disposed in a u-shaped tube adjacent and above the toilet seat. The water spray draws fouled air from a toilet causing it to pass through the fine droplets of the spray. The water absorbs the foul odors of air from the toilet bowl, permitting it to be recirculated within the ambient atmosphere of the lavatory, while the water is returned to the toilet bowl for disposal when the toilet is flushed.
The object of the present invention is to incorporate the operative components of water spray malodor system into a toilet seat to the end that the advantages of water droplet absorption are more widely enjoyed. This is to say that by modifying the conventional toilet seat rather than requiring a separate and independent unit, as previously proposed, use of the spray malodor absorption becomes more attractive to a broader spectrum of people.
Another object is to incorporate the operative components of a water spray, malodor absorption system in a toilet seat in a fashion permitting retention of the conventional ability to pivot the seat to an xe2x80x9cupxe2x80x9d position in which the seat is offset rearwardly of the toilet bowl opening. Additionally it is desired to preserve the ability of having a lid which is pivotal between an xe2x80x9cupxe2x80x9d position rearwardly of the seat opening and a closed position in which the lid overlies the seat opening.
A further object of the invention is to facilitate retrofitting existing toilets with the capability of providing a water spray malodor absorption capability.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the effectiveness of water spray malodor absorption systems.
Yet another object of the invention is to attain the foregoing ends in an economical fashion.
These objectives may be broadly attained by the combination of a toilet bowl and a seat having an opening generally aligned with the bowl opening. The seat and bowl, in combination with the body of a person sitting on the seat, form a chamber. A malodor control system comprises means defining a fluid flow path within the seat. The flow path has an inlet opening communicating with this chamber and an outlet for discharging air from the flow path to the exterior of the seat. A water spray nozzle disposed in the flow path, between these openings, draws fouled air from the chamber into the flow path, so that the fouled air will be scrubbed with water droplets, and then returned to the ambient atmosphere. The fluid flow path additionally has a water discharge through which water from the spray is returned to the toilet bowl.
Other features of the invention are found in the provision of an entrainment separator, which is disposed in the fluid flow path downstream of the nozzle and precipitates water from the air flowing through the flow path. The water discharge opening is then disposed downstream of the entrainment device. Further control over malodor may then be attained by the provision of an air freshener unit disposed in the flow path, downstream of the entrainment separator.
Preferably the seat is pivotally mounted on the toilet bowl and includes means for supplying water to the spray nozzle. The water supply means then include a flexible water line connecting a rear portion of the seat to a fixed source of pressurized water. Actuation of the malodor control is preferably controlled by a valve, mounted in the seat and manually operated to initiate discharge of water from the nozzle. Advantageously, the mounting means for the toilet seat include a bracket secured to a rear portion of the seat. This bracket has an extension aligned with the axis of pivotally movement and projecting laterally outwardly of the seat. The water supply means include a passageway extending lengthwise of the bracket extension and the flexible tube is secured to said extension and in fluid communication with the lengthwise extending passageway.
Where there is a horizontally disposed rim peripherally of the opening into the toilet bowl, it is preferred to mount sealing means on the lower surface of the seat. The sealing means engage the upper surface of the bowl rim so as to positively seal the juncture of these two components of the chamber which is defined in part by portions of the body of the person sitting on the seat.
In accordance with another aspect, the ends attained by the present invention may be broadly attained by a toilet having an upwardly open bowl having a rim defining a bowl opening in combination with a hollow seat having an opening generally aligned with the bowl opening so that these components and portions of the body of a person sitting on the seat form a chamber. A malodor control system comprises a pair of water spray nozzles disposed within the seat, on opposite lateral sides thereof. Inlet means are provided in the hollow seat for placing the interior of the seat into communication with said chamber. Air discharge means are formed in the seat downstream of the spray nozzles for placing its hollow interior in communication with ambient air exteriorly of the chamber. Water discharge means are formed in a bottom wall portion of the seat for placing its hollow interior in communication with said chamber to return water from the spray nozzles to the toilet bowl.
In the hollow toilet seat which is pivotally mounted on the bowl, a preferred arrangement is to dispose the water spray nozzles therein toward the free end thereof and directed rearwardly toward the pivotally mounted end. The water discharge means may then take the form of an opening in the bottom wall of the seat adjacent the pivotally mounted end of the seat. The upper surface of the bottom wall of the seat is then sloped downwardly from the nozzles to the discharge opening to assure drainage of water from the seat. Preferably the discharge means opening is formed through a tube that projects below the level of the bottom wall of the seat in order to guard against flow of discharged water along the lower surface of the seat and onto the upper surface of the bowl.
In forming a hollow seat it is preferred that it comprise an upper portion which is removably secured to a lower portion to thereby provide ready access into the interior of the seat. This then enables installing of a new air freshener unit when the previous air freshener unit has lost its effectiveness, as well as facilitating repair and/or replacement of the nozzles or entrainment separator. Another preferred constructional feature is found in connecting the pivotal mounting means to the lower portion of the hollow seat.
Another preferred aspect of the invention is found in maximizing the rate of fouled air flow through the seat. This flow rate is a function of velocity and volume of water flow. Fouled air flow rate is also a direct function of cross sectional area of the fouled air flow path. It is for this reason that the toilet seat preferably has a height substantially greater than the usual toilet seat. It has been found that minimum flow area, at least in the region of the spray nozzles should be at least in the approximate order of 6.25 square inches. It is further preferred, that there be a single nozzle for each fouled air flow path and that the height of the flow path approximate the width of the flow path to better conform with the conical spray pattern.
The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be more fully apparent from a reading of the following disclosure, having reference to the accompanying drawings, and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.